What do we do at the Clarion - Goldfield - Dows Community School District to protect our students from the dangers of the internet?

All schools who receive funding from the Universal Service
Administrative Company (USAC) through the e-rate reimbursement program
must agree to be CIPA compliant. Below you will note an explanation of
that relationship and compliance requirements.

At Clarion - Goldfield - Dows Community Schools we take the protection of our
students very seriously. While no known technology can be said to be
100% effective in blocking the negative information or imagery found on
the world wide web, we employ industry leading technology in our efforts
to do just that. The following list gives a rundown of the services
and techniques we utilize.

1) Internet Content Filter services (through a FireWall) purchased through Lightspeed Systems.
2) Restricted (domain only) email access for students through school accounts.
3) Live monitoring of lab and room desktop computers.
4) Restricted levels of access to network services and programs.
5) Teacher in room oversight during network access during class instruction.
6) Ability to lock or block accounts.
7) Modeling of proper internet use by teachers.
8) Instruction relative to online ethics as part of our curriculum.

CIPA compliance to qualify for USAC Funding.

Applicants must enforce a policy of Internet safety and certify
compliance the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) to be eligible
for discounts. CIPA was signed into law on December 21, 2000. To
receive support for Internet Access, Internal Connections, and Basic
Maintenance services from the universal service fund (USF), school and
library authorities must certify that they are enforcing a policy of
Internet safety that includes measures to block or filter Internet
access for both minors and adults to certain visual depictions. The
relevant authority with responsibility for administration of the
eligible school or library (hereinafter known as the Administrative
Authority) must certify the status of its compliance for the purpose of
CIPA in order to receive USF support.

In general, school and library authorities must certify either that they
have complied with the requirements of CIPA; that they are undertaking
actions, including any necessary procurement procedures, to comply
with the requirements of CIPA; or that CIPA does not apply to them
because they are receiving discounts for telecommunications services
only.

Requirements

CIPA requirements include the following three items:

1. Internet Safety Policy

Schools and libraries receiving universal service discounts are
required to adopt and enforce an Internet safety policy that includes a
technology protection measure that protects against access by adults
and minors to visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or —
with respect to use of computers with Internet access by minors —
harmful to minors.

The Internet safety policy must address all of the following issues:

Access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet and World Wide Web

The safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications

Unauthorized access including "hacking" and other unlawful activities by minors online

Measures designed to restrict minors' access to materials harmful to minors

For schools, the policy must also include monitoring the online
activities of minors. Note: beginning July 1, 2012, when schools certify
their compliance with CIPA, they will also be certifying that their
Internet safety policies have been updated to provide for educating
minors about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with
other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms,
cyberbullying awareness, and response.

2. Technology Protection Measure

A technology protection measure is a specific technology that blocks
or filters Internet access. The school or library must enforce the
operation of the technology protection measure during the use of its
computers with Internet access, although an administrator, supervisor,
or other person authorized by the authority with responsibility for
administration of the school or library may disable the technology
protection measure during use by an adult to enable access for bona
fide research or other lawful purpose.

3. Public Notice and Hearing or Meeting

The authority with responsibility for administration of the school or
library must provide reasonable public notice and hold at least one
public hearing or meeting to address a proposed technology protection
measure and Internet safety policy. (For private schools, “public”
notice means notice to their appropriate constituent group.) Unless
required by local or state rules, an additional public notice and a
hearing or meeting is not necessary for amendments to Internet safety
policies.

Administrative Authority

The Administrative Authority for a school or library is the entity
that must make the relevant certification for the purpose of CIPA. For a
school, the Administrative Authority may be the school, school
district, school board, local educational agency, or other authority
with responsibility for administration of the school. For a library,
the Administrative Authority may be the library, library board, or
other authority with responsibility for administration of the library.

If the Administrative Authority is also the Billed Entity, the
Administrative Authority certifies on the FCC Form 486. If the
Administrative Authority is not the Billed Entity, the Administrative
Authority must complete FCC Form 479 (Certification of Administrative
Authority to Billed Entity of Compliance with the Children’s Internet
Protection Act), and submit the FCC Form 479 to the Billed Entity. The
Billed Entity then certifies on the FCC Form 486 that it has collected
duly completed and signed FCC Form(s) 479. The Billed Entity does not
need to collect FCC Forms 479 when the Billed Entity applies only for
telecommunications services